Therfield Heath

Dropped Michelle at Tesco in Royston and went to a windy Therfield Heath for half an hour. Stayed close to the car-park but managed around a hundred Chalk Blue butterflies (nearly all male.) Also noted a couple of Small Skipper, a Dusky Sallow moth, and of course lots of Harebell and Clustered Bellflower.

Three Common Buzzards were also seen.

Norfolk

 

Family day in Norfolk. Early start to get the 10am boat from Morston quay to see the Seals and Sandwich Terns on Blakeney Point. Only Common Seals were seen on this occasion though we had a shorter time actually with the Seals as we landed at the coast-guards. Not much extra was seen during our enjoyable hour walk around the point, though the Sea Holy looked nice and scenery was wonderful.

Five Little Terns were also noted during our visit, as well as a couple of Dunlin in amongst the Seals, and several pairs of Oystercatcher.

After lunch myself and the boys went to Swanton Novers were we played football in the raptor viewing area, before eventually seeing a couple of Common Buzzards, then our target Honey Buzzard.

A drink in the Victoria before a walk along the beach at Holkam (twenty Crossbills), fish and chips at Wells, and finally ending at Titchwell at dusk. Unfortunately the Buff-breasted Sandpiper seemed to have left at lunchtime, and all we could muster were three each of Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit (plus numerous Black-tailed Godwit), about forty Ruff, and a Whimbrel amongst the Curlew. There were also a very large number of Starlings (c. 75% juvenille) and Tom took a great picture…

Swifts

Well over a hundred above the house tonight.

Garden

Goldcrest singing all day; Blackcap occasionally. A Hawker dragonfly paid a very brief visit. Looked like Southern but could not be sure.

Swifts

Very bad news as the Swifts in the roof don’t seem to be returning to the nest during the day, just roosting. Presumably there were only two eggs. Will have to try to do something for next year. There great to watch in the evening, with around fifty birds in a screaming flock.

Fowlmere was very quiet as expected.

River Warbler

Swifts making much noise feeding young. The Honey-bees roosted overnight but departed mid-morning.

In the evening, myself and Tom went for the River Warbler at Thorpe in Norfolk. A great bird and my forth UK tick for the year.

Waders, Moths, Fritillaries, and Bees!

The day started with six calidrid-like waders flying east over the house. On size I’d go for Knot, but very frustrating!

With the children, I then examined a huge haul of moths that had been trapped over a stick night. Lots of Hawk-moths (including our first ever Small Elephant.)

Elephant Hawk-moth
Privet Hawk-moth
Poplar Hawk-moth
Buff-tip
Dot Moth
Setaceous Hebrew Character
Common Emerald
Clouded Silver
Small Magpie
Small Elephant Hawk-moth
Common Footman
Large Yellow Underwing
Burnished Brass
Buff Ermine
Riband Wave
The Snout
Willow Beauty
Buff Arches
Mottled Pug
The Flame
Garden Dart
Heart and Dart
Heart and Club
Double Square-spot
Bright-line Brown-eye
Varied Coronet
The Uncertain
The Rustic
Short-cloaked Moth
Endotricha flammealis
Udea lutealis
Acleris forsskaleana
Single-dotted Wave
The Spectacle
Light Arches
Brown Rustic

At midday we went to Hexton Chalk Pits to try for Dark Green Fritillary, a new Hertfordshire butterfly for me. We found two! Before a decent drink in the Raven, we also managed to find:

Red Kite
Buzzard
Marbled White
Meadow Brown
Essex Skipper
Six-spot Burnet
Pyramidal Orchid
Common Spotted Orchid
Common Twayblade

Just as we were leaving, Sam spotted this odd rose…

A bit of research revealed that it is actually a Dog Rose (or maybe Field Rose) with a hormonal imbalance due to the actions of a gall wasp.

The football in the afternoon (world cup semi-final Germany v Argentina) was interrupted by a huge swarm of Honey Bees numbering several thousand. Tom also found what he was sure was Large Skipper in the garden.